The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-16
Paul's Law of Charity.

Paul's Law Of Charity.
DR.. Howard Crosby, Of this city, has
q sharp and spicy article in the Romiletn
Reoisw for January, in which he discusses
the following question: ':Is Paul's Law
of charity fair argument in favor of
total abstinencei" TIE law referred to
is in these words: 'It is good to neither
eat flesh nor to drink wine, nor anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth or is Of
Tended, or is made weak" ''Where-
fore, if meat make my brother to offend,
I will eat no flesh while the world stand !
eth, lest make my brother to offend. ~
DR.. Crosby is of opinion that these pas
sages do not lay down an absolute rule
in virtue in which Christians are required
to practice total abstinence from the
drinking of wine. He says nothing
about total abstinence from beer-drink-
ing, whisky-drinkiug, gin-drinking or
brandy-drinking, but confines the dis
cussion entirely to the drinking of wine.
How far his argument is success or 9
failure we will not here undertake to de-
termine. Alcoholic liquors do not all beaH
the same name, yet they are alike in the
fact that alcohol is the one ingredient that
makes them intoxicating. They differ in
this respect only in the quantity of alcohol
which they contain. One can get drunk
by drinking any of them, provided he will
drink enough; and so one can form the
habit of drinking such liquors by drink. I.
ing any of them. Drunkards are made
gradually, and not in moment. And
inasmuch as no we'll man needs any alco-
holic stimulation for any purpose re!at-
ing to the health of the body and mind,
it is certainly perfectly safe for him to
abstain altogether from the use OF such
beverages; and, moreover, this is the
only course that is absolutely safe for
him. If he is moderate drinker now,
he is just what all drunkards once were,
without ever intending to become drunk
ards at last; and he has no guaranty that
he will not initiate their sad example.
The drinking of wine may lead him to
the drinking of whisky or brandy; and {
thus he may 60 on from step to step until
he achieves his own ruin. Total absti-
nence is the only sure salvation from this
peril, whether Pauls law of charity re.
quires it or not; and this we regard as
sound and all-sufficient reason for such
abstinence, and also good reason why
the friends of temperance should preach
the doctrine, and get as many people to
adopt it as they can. The doctrine does
not by any means rest on "Paul's law OF
charity" as its sole support, but upon
facts of human experience. Grant to
DR.. Crosby all that he claims for his ar
gument, and it still remains true that
total abstinence is the wise and proper
course for every man to pursue, not only
for his own safety, but for the good of
society. This is plain dictate of COM
mon sense. 1t may be better to drink
wine than to drink whisky; but it is
much better to drink neither as COM
mon beverage. -Independent.
The Saloon Must Go.
The saloons must 60, or respect for
law must 60. The saloon must go, or
the respect for the Sabbath be lost. The
saloon must 60, or the institutions
founded by our forefathers upon intelli-
gence and self-retraint and respect for
the rights of society, must topple. The
saloon must 60, or the reign of terror
must come, and mob-law take possession
of our cities.
Which shall it be, old men, who have
seen precious blood split in behalf of this
country until there was hardly heart
left that did not ache2 Which shall it
be, young men, who are to be the citi-
zens of this nation for years to Gomez
Which is it to be, Christian people, who
arc already looking around with anxiety,
and wondering why the Church is losing
its power over men, and why the epi-
demic of unbelief and disbelief is sweep
ing on and on9- The Voice.
Moving Against Cider
Notwithstanding the State law which
allows the sale of cider in quantities OF
five gallons and more, but forbids its
sale in less quantitie, the juice of the
apple is sold all over the State of Maine
by the glass, and cider tippling has be,
come a great evil, especially in the
country. The Good Tcmplcrs of Maine
are about to try and stop this, and will
ask the Legislature to make the law more
stringent.
Remember that the stuff you drink,
Upon the outside shows.
So always let your intellect
Shipa hr;obtar than yo,r noca